Improvement in reversing friction clutch and brake



s sheets-'sheet 1.

Y, T. A. WESTON. Reversing Friction Clutch and Brake.

No. 217,032. Patemed 1111511.12179.

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i 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. T. A. WESTUN.' Reversing Friction Clutch and Brake.

No. 217,032. Patented July I, 1879.

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m ml 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. T. A. WESTON. Reversing Friction Clutch .and Brake.

No. 217,032. Paten-tammy 1, 1879.

N. PETERS. PM

. of Stamford, inthe county of Fairfield and ,Improvements in Reversing Brakel Clutches `Patent of the United States No. 75,227, dated ber 14, 1809.4 It is applicable, primarily, to

chinery.

apparatus, which I do not intend to compresubject of a separate patent.

. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

I stay-bar uniting the frame-sides and furnishlcut thereon. y b2 b3 b4 are xed collars.

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and placed thereon are the friction-disks c2 of eye enlarged, so as to contain an elastic bushv or cushion, d3, which forms a thrust-bearing gage with the main spur-wheel of a hoisting- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS AQWESTON, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSGNOR TO THEA YALE LOCK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVERSING FRICTIOVN CLUTCH ANDBRAKE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.Y

217,032, dated July l., 1879; application filed August 26, 1878.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs A. WsToN,

State of Connecticut, have invented certain for 'Machiner-y, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists, mainly, of certain improvements in the devices of my Letters March 3, 1868, and No. 98,000, dated Decemhoists, but may also be applied to other ma- In the accompanying drawings is represented my '1n vention applied to a peculiar hoistin g hend in this patent, but intend to make the 4 Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of a hoisting-machine embodying my invention.

A is an ordinary supporting-frame.' a1 is a B is the b1 is a right-hand screw-thread b5 are C is a spur-pinion, internally screwthreaded to engage with and traverse upon the screw b of the shaft. c isa square boss, upon that end of the pinion which, for convenient reference, is called the right-hand end,

ing a bearing for the ratchet-pawls. pinion shaft.

my aforesaid Letters Patent. c3 is a similar square boss upon the left-hand end of the pinion, and thereon are disks c4. D is the righthand ratchet-drum, containing disks dl. d2 is the right-hand pawl, which has its fulcrum or for the pawl upon the stay-bar al. Eis the left-hand ratchet-drum, containing disks e. e2 is the left-hand pawl, and e3 its cushioned bearing. The teeth of the spur-pinion `C may enmachine, or with anywheel forming one of a train of gearing by which the hoist or other machine is operated, and which may be then driven in either direction by this my improved reversing-gear.

The objects of my invention are Vto render my aforesaid patented devices available in combination with a spur-pinion or train of gearing for driving'the said pinion or gearing in either direction, the said driving action in i rection of rotation in the pinion-shaft is re-V i versed.

The operation is as follows: Supposey the teeth of the pinion C to engage vwith the spurwheel of a hoisting or other machine requiring to be driven, and the pinion-shaft B to be then turned in the direction of the arrows.

At first the pinion is prevented from rotating with its shaft by the resistance of the spurwheel, and during this time the rotatory motion of the shaft within the stationary pinionf by V'means of their screw-threads forces the pinion longitudinally against the disks in the ratchet-drum D, frictionally connecting them. When the frictional connection thus obtained between the disks is sufficient to transmit through them the rotatory driving motion of the shaft B to the pinion C, all relative motion between the shaft and pinion ceases, the said shaft and pinion then Jserving to drive the hoisting or other machine as long as desired. Upon ceasing to drive, any backward motion or recoil is arrested by the pawl d2 and ratchetteeth upon the drum D. Upon reversing the rotatory drivin g motion of the shaft B, the first effect'is the withdrawal of the coupling pressure from the disks within the drum D. The pin ion C, being for the moment stationary, is

screwed backward from its pressure upon the said disks; but so soon as their frictional connection is broken or diminished sufciently, the ystrain of the supposed load at once rotates the pinion upon its screw-threaded shaft and restores the coupling pressure upon the disks, again arresting backward motion, unless the shaft B becontinually turned, when the pinion will continually follow its rotations. If the machine be a hoist, a load may thus be lowered by the continual backward rotation of the shaft B, the lowering, however, being self-arrested always when the rotation of the shaft B ceases. Now, suppose the load removed and another applied, to overcome which the shaft B and pinion must drive in a contrary direction to the arrows. Such rotation of the shaft B will propel the pinion away v from the drum D, leaving the latter loose and free,and screw the said pinion with its disks c4 into frictional connection with the disks el of the ratchet-drum E. Further rotation of the shaft and pinion will drive the connected gearing so long as required. Upon ceasing to drive, all recoil or running backward is prevented by the pawl e2. When reversing the driving motion of the shaft and turning it, as indicated by the arrows, the pinion and its sustained load will follow and be self-checked when such backward driving` ceases in like manner to the corresponding motion and action firsteXplained with reference to the drum D and connected parts. Thus the driving action I of the pinion G and its self-arrested and safety .lowering motions in contrary directions are 'United States Letters Patent No. 75,227, of 1868, they may be omitted, and the single friction-faces of the ratchet-wheel and pinion end be compelled to bear the whole of the frictional action. Such a construction, however, would only be suited to light duty, and even then lose the smoothness of action due to a larger area of frictional surfaces; whereas by means of the aforesaid duplicated or repetition disksurfaces any desired friction al area is obtained, as explained in the specification of my said Letters Patent, affording ease, efficiency, and durability in action.

Although I have described my invention as constructedy for reversing, the screwed shaft and pinion may be conveniently used for driving and backing or lowering in one direction only, in which case but one of the ratchetdisk drums, D or E, is required, and the pinion would then be plain at one end. The advantages wonld still.l accrue of ydriving the pinion by its internal screw-threads, instead of by an external screw-faced boss, as described in the specification of my aforesaid United States Letters Patent N o. 98,000, of 1869, thus saving the use of the incline-faced collar, gaining compactness, and obtaining a positive screwing 'motion to retire the pinion from frictional contact with the ratchet wheel or drum, thereby securing its more immediate and certain release in backing or lowering when the de vice is employed in a hoisting-machine.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a friction-brake clutch, the combination of the screw-threaded shaft B, internally screw-threaded pinion C, and ratchet wheels or drums D E, with their pawls, substantially as described. A

2. In a friction-brake clutch, the combination of the screwed shaft B, pinion C, and ratchet wheels or drums D E, with their pawls and the contained friction-disks, substantially as described.

3. [n a friction-brake clutch, the combination of the screw-threaded shaft B and internally screw-threaded pinion C with one ratchetwheel, D, and pawl, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

THO/S. A. WESTON. Witnesses:

M. S. HOPKINS, WM. J. PEYCroN. 

